1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to connectors used to join elastomeric conduits to devices or another elastomeric conduit.
2. Description of the Related Art
The prior art includes connector devices where a conduit is secured to a connector by:
Clamping the conduit to the connector using a clamp or band that can be constricted by the user, for example, an automotive heater or radiator hose connection. These clamps may be of a screw type where a screw cooperates with a perforated metal band or of a crimped band type (Melsky & Prosi, U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,060, Column 7, line 53) where the band is gathered in tension and crimped to retain the conduit on the connector.
Similarly, elastomeric conduits may be secured to a connector using a restrictive type band such as an electrical strap that is drawn around the conduit in a constrictive manner to retain the conduit on the connector.
Historically, physicians have sutured elastomeric conduits onto connectors as surgical implants. Industrial and medical applications involve clamping or crimping hose fittings by deforming metal or plastic retainers after the connector has been inserted into the conduit.
Medical applications, including surgically implanted conduits, typical involve a connector that is placed in the conduit bore with a clamp that retains the conduit on the connector. In all cases known to the inventors the clamps have:
segments that flex radially outward from the connector, and then return to engage the connector or conduit to secure the conduit to the connector (Fogarty, U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,183), or PA1 segments that can be collapsed radially inward to engage the conduit or connector to retain the conduit on the connector, the means of collapsing the segments radially inward being another component of the connector device or an integral part of the connector, clamp or device the connector is being secured to (Arp, U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,866; Sampson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,929,236). PA1 Simplicity of design PA1 Ease of connector component fabrication PA1 Ease of assembly by end user PA1 an installation tool to advance the clamp onto the connector, or PA1 an installation tool to crimp a retaining band, or PA1 an installation tool to inwardly collapse gripping elements, or PA1 a suture or band to secure the conduit on the connector, or PA1 a heat source to shrink a sleeve around the conduit, or PA1 a solvent to dilate a sleeve around the conduit at the connector, or PA1 an expander tool to radially enlarge a sleeve or clamp to install it, or PA1 an installation tool to engage the connector, clamp and conduit, or PA1 an adhesive.
Medical applications, including surgically implanted conduits, that involve placing a connector inside the bore of a conduit and an elastomeric sleeve component over the conduit at the connector. The sleeve may be extended beyond the connector to further act as a strain relief element for the conduit.
A suture may be used to secure the sleeve onto the conduit. The sleeve radially supports the conduit and also prevents the suture from damaging the conduit. Typically the suture would be placed beyond a barb or radial projection on the connector to secure the conduit on the connector.
The sleeve may also be expanded radially to allow installation and then released to constrict the conduit at the connector. The sleeve may also be dilated to increase it's size to allow installation over the conduit, then the dilating media is evaporated causing the sleeve to constrict on the conduit. For example, Freon or isopropyl alcohol will dilate a silicone elastomer conduit (Wiita, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,270, Column 8, line 64; and 11, Column 7, line 62.) A sleeve may be fabricated from a heat shrink tubing that can be placed over the conduit and then radially shrunk to constrict the conduit (Melsky & Prosi, U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,060, Column 7, line 60.) Medical applications, including surgically implantable conduits, where the connector moves radially inward to allow the clamp and conduit to bypass a barb or radial projection on the connector (Leonard & Wadsworth, U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,407; Dijkstra & Boersma, U.S. Pat. No. 5,026,344). Medical applications where the conduit, sleeve or clamp is secured with an adhesive (Wiita, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,270).
Industrial and medical applications where the clamp has a twist lock to secure the connection (Loiterman, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,041,098; Fenton & Young, U.S. Pat. No. 4,673,394; Glantz, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,192).
Industrial and medical applications where a feral or sleeve is compressed by another connector component, or where a sleeve has projections that are collapse onto the conduit or connector by another component to secure the connection (Dijkstra & Boersma, U.S. Pat. No. 5,026,344). Industrial and medical applications where the clamp or retaining sleeve is threaded to a connector component or to a device, thus securing the conduit to the connector, or the conduit and connector to the device (Stober & Brencher, U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,103; Prosi, U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,675). Industrial and medical applications where the conduit is solvent or adhesively bonded to the connector, which may engage and share an interface with the conduit bore or conduit outer surface.
The art described in this section is not intended to constitute an admission that any patent, publication or other information referred to herein is "prior art" with respect to this invention, unless specifically designated as such. In addition, this section should not be construed to mean that a search has been made or that no other pertinent information as defined in 37 C.F.R. .sctn.1.56(a) exists.